Public libraries in Singapore

If you were a bookworm, one of your favourite places to go and spend the afternoon away with your nose buried in a book would probably be in a cool, quiet library. In Singapore, there are plenty of libraries around to encourage both children and adults to read; in fact, there is one in almost every neighbourhood on the island.

It is most uncommon to see Singaporean parents taking their kids to the library to read, mingle or attend a story-telling session on a Saturday afternoon. These children do get quite excited and actually look forward to visiting their local libraries, as reading is most often encouraged in Singaporean households.

The main library in Singapore is the National Library along Victoria Street, in between Bugis Junction and Bras Basah Complex. It is in a 16-storey block of a 2-block building and is made up of 2 libraries, which are the Central Public Library in Basement 1 and the Lee Kong Chian Reference library from the 7th to 13th floor.

However, the National Library is not the largest one on the island. Jurong Regional Library, which occupies 4 floors and a basement, spans over 12,020 square metres.

A Singaporean globe-trotter who is now based in London. Khai has travelled and lived in several countries due to her airline background. She enjoys dancing, painting, cooking, taking scenic photographs and writing about her adventure travels.